Natural and Organic Cures for Winter Eczema Troubles

"It's finally cold here in New York. Most heating systems aren't yet turned on so we've been traipsing around in sweaters and hats. Today, after a wind gust almost picked her up and blew her down the street, my daughter laughed and screamed, "I'm freezing!"

Season change is fun. It's also itchy. I have battled dry skin and eczema for years, especially on my hands. I used steroid creams to treat them before I knew better, and read enough to entice me to give them up just before I got pregnant. Phew. I even gave up peanuts while pregnant because some research (largely British) said it would reduce the likelihood a baby of a mom with eczema would (also) have allergies. I'd do anything not to pass this along to her. Well so far so good on food and seasonal allergies. But she currently has several patches of her very own eczema. Argh!

Since giving up the steroids, I have spent a lot of time testing and coming up with a list of products that work to quell the rash when it flares. The list isn't short, as they seem to work for a bit, then stop working. So I switch to something that also works, then stops. And I switch back, or move on. Eczema is strange stuff. Actually, even the steroid creams used to only work for a while. Then they'd thin my skin to the point where I'd start getting small cuts very easily, and it would somehow flare up all over again. Pretty much the only holistic/organic/natural/biodynamic/whatever you want to call it thing I haven't tried to cure the stuff is cutting food out of our diets. Apparently diary and acidic foods like tomatoes can trigger the condition. I love both too much to give them up. And friends with other itchy conditions who have managed to hold off on favorite foods only report minimal itch reduction, or often none at all."

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